ABSTRACT. This article aims at presenting changes in consumption of households in Poland in the background of the European Union in 2004-2012 in the context of modernising consumption. The research material stems from secondary data provided by Eurostat databases. The research employs a descriptive analysis method supported by some elements of a quantitative analysis.

In the period of 2004-2012 a process of modernising consumption was observed. This is confirmed by some decrease in the food index value, increase in free choice expenditure and some progress in equipping households with computers along with remarkable improvement in availability of the Internet. These changes show a higher level of need satisfaction in 2012 as compared to the year Poland joined the European Union. Moreover, the changes in question are made in compliance with assumptions of the knowledge and information based development. Additionally, gradual although slow closing of the consumption gap between Poland and the average European Union countries deserves appreciation.